Microsoft changed main parts of the BI capabilities with SharePoint 2016. SharePoint Server 2016 does no longer provide Excel Services. Excel Services are now part of the Office Online Server, which got released on May 4, 2016. With the November 2016 Release Microsoft supports even embedded Power Views in Excel Online.
So what’s new about it?
As Excel Services being no longer part of SharePoint 2016 and now part of the Office Online Server, there have to be other changes too. Not so well publicly announced, there are some hidden requirement for BI scenarios:
SharePoint 2016 requires SQL Server 2016 for BI scenarios
Ricardo Muti wrote a great article about “Integrate Reporting Services into SharePoint 2016” in which he addresses the upcoming changes to the reporting infrastructure of SP 2016.
If you want to get started right now, grab your copy of the white paper: Deploying SQL Server 2016 PowerPivot and Power View in SharePoint 2016.
If you plan the deployment in a multi server farm: Deploying SQL Server 2016 PowerPivot and Power View in a Multi-Tier SharePoint 2016 Farm
What are the prerequisites for BI scenarios?
Software prerequisites:
- SharePoint Server 2016
- Office Online Server
- SQL Server 2016 Enterprise
- PowerPivot Add-in for SharePoint 2016
Configuration prerequisites:
- Excel Online (as part of Office Online Server)
- Kerberos Constrained Delegation (KCD)
How to configure all components?
In the last few months I did configure several SharePoint 2016 + BI installations. The process is very straightforward and the white papers are very helpful. I think they are the best documentation out there.
SharePoint and Microsoft 365 